Pacha praises Stars for show of resilience

Omar Pacha has hailed Dundee Stars’ bounce-back performance after they responded to a tough loss with a resounding victory over one of the Elite League’s top teams.

The Stars lost 6-4 in Coventry on Saturday but showed great resilience to beat Cardiff Devils 5-2 the following night.

Head coach Pacha said: “I was a bit disappointed with the Coventry game but against Cardiff I thought that was some of our best hockey we had played all season, in that first period.

“After that I liked the consistency of how we played for 60 minutes then were able to shut the game down. We were also able to get that fourth goal, which was huge because I don’t think that call (against Matt Marquardt) was a four-minute penalty. It wasn’t deserved, so to find a way to kill that penalty and only allow one goal, which went off the backboards and into the net, was a good accomplishment.

“To come back against Cardiff and to get the full two points was a good way to keep pushing for the last few play-off spots.”

The Tayside team’s injury problems grew over the weekend. They lost Reilly O’Connor to an upper body injury just 28 seconds into Saturday’s game and Craig Gans needed treatment after blocking a shot on Sunday.

Gans finished the match but O’Connor was missing from the line-up against Cardiff, along with fellow blue-liner Kris Inglis, who has been out since the end of November.

“Right now everything is being re-evaluated, it is never easy when you get guys battered and bruised and that is why we gave them Tuesday off,” said Pacha.

“They had a good workout yesterday morning and then just an optional skate later on in the afternoon but it is important that we value this rest for the next few days because the game against Glasgow is going to be massive.”

With the Stars set to face off against two of their main competitors for a play-off spot this weekend, the Canadian coach believes this might be the most important weekend of the season.

Omar added: “It is a four-point swing each night because if we win on Friday then we will be two points behind Glasgow, but if they win then we go six behind them and they have two games in hand.

“It is going to be hard but it is going to be a really exciting match and it will be a play-off atmosphere.”

This weekend is also the Elite League’s first Pride Weekend and all the teams will wear rainbow themed jerseys. The Stars kick off the weekend against Glasgow Clan on Friday night (face-off 7.30pm).